“BALTIMORE’S CREATIVE COMMUNITIES
ARE COMING TOGETHER TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AND SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS,
CULTURE AND THE HUMANITIES IN BALTIMORE CITY. SHARE YOUR TOP
PRIORITIES, GET INFORMED ON THE MAYORAL CANDIDATES, AND VOTE IN THE
PRIMARY ELECTION ON APRIL 26, 2016.” - Citizen Artist Baltimore

On January 5, I had the privilege of
attending the first listening session of Citizen Artist Baltimore, an
initiative looking at motivating artists to get out and vote and
leverage their potential political power to ensure arts and culture
are on the agenda of our local politicians. The listening session,
which is one of six ongoing (for more info visit:
http://citizenartist.vote/priorities/)
are happening across the city and looking to engage the broad and
diverse creative community of Baltimore. The conversation was deep
and varied as artists gathered at the WindUp Space during D Center
Baltimore's monthly Design Conversation. A few of the items brought
up by artists in attendance were: artists being represented on
decision making committees that impact policy (there are precedents
for this in Chicago and Boston), ways to access and activate
abandoned spaces, additional funding for public arts projects, etc.
Artists also brought up their own experiences with power structures,
as well as positive stories of how arts programs have had a positive
impact on lives.

It was a good discussion, but I left
the conversation wanting to ask additional questions. If successful,
what larger impact can the arts community have? If artists find ways
to organize into a power bloc, how can this power can be used not
just to leverage additional resources for artists, but to address
larger structural issues of power and equity? Especially in a city
like Baltimore, where the issues of wealth, equity, race and
gentrification are visible and need discussion and action, how can
artists make sure they are not being coopted by a system that still
needs a major transformation and instead act as catalysts for change.
How can artists engage and organize not just to help themselves, but
to ensure their gain is growing opportunities for others as well?

There is a need to organize within the
structure of this current mayoral election and Citizen Artist is
doing a great job at getting the arts on the radar of our mayoral
candidates. I want to be sure that we are also investigating the
power artists have for larger transformational change that will
activate and impact access to resources, issues of equity and moving
toward a more just and equitable city for all.

There is much work to do. Grateful for
all here who are working on many levels from grassroots work at the
ground level to policy work and working directly in our institutions.